HowTheyGotUsersHowTheyGotUsers

Drop a Credibility-Loaded Comment on a Relevant Ask HN Thread

Drop a Credibility-Loaded Comment on a Relevant Ask HN Thread is a communities tactic for getting your first users: A single comment on an existing 'Ask HN' question, leading with strong credibility (a 10-year profitable app, 200k monthly visits) and ending with a soft link via the username, got 20 upvotes and roughly 70 signups.

It's a strong fit for B2B SaaS, Dev tools / technical, and Info products / courses teams, and works especially well for dev tools, courses, B2B with a technical audience. As a communities play, plan for low effort and expect results to show up quickly, all grounded in 1 linked primary source.

CommunitiesLow effortFast

Why does communities work for this?

A helpful, high-credibility comment in a perfectly matched thread converts far better than overt promotion and costs nothing.

The exact steps (5)

The full step-by-step this founder ran, what they posted, where, and in what order, plus the watch-outs, is part of the library.

Unlock the steps · $29 oncePlus all 3,000+ tactics and the new ones we add weekly.

Sources

Works for
B2B SaaSDev tools / technicalInfo products / courses

Frequently asked

What kind of products does the "Drop a Credibility-Loaded Comment on a Relevant Ask HN Thread" tactic work for?
It is a good fit for B2B SaaS, Dev tools / technical, and Info products / courses — pick it when your product looks like one of those, since the play is shaped around how those users find new tools.
How is the "Drop a Credibility-Loaded Comment on a Relevant Ask HN Thread" tactic verified?
It is drawn from 1 primary source — a real founder write-up or interview, not generic advice. It is linked in the Sources section above so you can read the original account yourself.
How much effort is it and how fast are results?
It is low effort, and results tend to be fast.
Where can I see the exact step-by-step?
The full step-by-step a founder ran, documented via Source — IndieHackers, is in the paid library.

Related tactics

CommunitiesLow effort· Fast

Make People Comment 'I'M IN' to Get the Beta Code by DM

Instead of dropping a signup link, the founder asked readers to comment 'I'M IN' and promised to DM each one a free month beta code, turning the post into an engagement magnet and a private DM lead funnel.

Read the steps →
CommunitiesLow effort· Fast

Post in Facebook Lifetime-Deal Groups With an Optimized Link Preview

The founder searched Facebook for 'lifetime deals' groups, joined the most relevant, and posted with a deliberately attractive link preview, which became the top-converting channel for the launch.

Read the steps →
CommunitiesHigh effort· Slow

Run a Content-to-Community Feedback Loop

Build a repeating cycle where you use your own product, turn the experience into content, push it into a community, harvest the complaints and requests, and ship improvements that fuel the next round.

Read the steps →
CommunitiesLow effort· Medium

Soft-Launch Quietly in Niche Forums and Discords

A free font-preview tool got started by being launched quietly on a few Indie Hackers forums and a couple of design-focused Discord servers.

Read the steps →
CommunitiesMedium effort· Slow

Earn the Stage at Niche Industry Gatherings

Identify the smaller, field-specific events your exact niche attends and work toward speaking slots, where being on stage positions you as the authority and drives signups.

Read the steps →
CommunitiesLow effort· Fast

Seed Your Launch Indirectly in the Single Biggest Subreddit of Your Niche

Land your first sale by posting into the largest subreddit where your target users already are, framing it as a helpful contribution rather than a direct promotion.

Read the steps →

Get all 3,000+ tactics in one place

Filter by your product and channel, follow the exact steps, and get the new tactics we add every week. One payment, yours for good.

Unlock for $29 onceBrowse by channel